Whether it’s our eyes, skin, internal organs, blood vessels, or brain we are looking to prevent from aging too quickly, nutritional status is one of the key determining factors. Our health and longevity largely depend on whether we receive the daily nutrients required to minimize cellular aging and damage. According to a panel of roundtable experts organized by the Ocular Nutrition Society (ONS), a number of nutrients are particularly effective in promoting eye health. Some of these include zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids.
During the meeting, 8 experts in ophthalmology, optometry, diet and nutrition, and primary care, discussed the necessity for Americans to be informed of how their eye health is related to nutrition. "There is not one "magic bullet" nutrient but a combination of nutrients that work together to support eye and body health," according to Dr. Anshel. “We must remember that the eye is a part of the body and closely related to brain tissue. Whole body treatments can be very effective in treating eye conditions."
Professor of Ophthalmology at the Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City, Paul S. Bernstein, noted that there "is strong basic science support for the value of lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids in promoting eye health, and we all are eagerly awaiting the release of AREDS2 results approximately one year from now." The AREDS2 stands for the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2. It is a randomized, multi-center trial with the goal of assessing the “the effects of oral supplementation of macular xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin) and/or long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid) [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) on the progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).”
Dr. Shana McQueen
Sources:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/762177
